Engineer Sule blames insecurity on lack of good governance, education
…launches women multipurpose cooperative society in Wamba
Nasarawa State governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, has identified lack of good governance, as well as functional education, particularly in Northern Nigeria, as part of the reasons for rising security challenges in the country.
Engineer Sule made this known while hosting participants from the Executive Intelligence Course 14, from the National Institute for Security Studies, Abuja, at the Government House, on Monday.
According to the governor, Nigeria has been unlucky not to have witnessed good governance through the years, compared to most countries around the world that have entrenched good governance and are therefore able to maintain some level of security.
Engineer Sule however pointed out the issue of good governance must be seen to be all encompassing, broad based and not limited to political office holders, such as the president or governors.
“It’s not just about government officials, good governance must be demonstrated even in our homes. Has somebody been able to provide the leadership in his home?
“It’s not just about being a president or governor. Good governance must start from our own homes, our communities and goes back all the way,” he said.
The governor equally identified lack of functional education, especially in the Northern part of the country, as responsible for the insecurity across Nigeria.
While noting that there is no country in the world with zero security challenge, Engineer Sule said insecurity in Nigeria is further compounded by the absence of good governance, poor socioeconomic development and dysfunctional education, which produces mostly unemployable graduates.
“We have to be able to tell each other the truth. I think over the years, Nigeria has not been lucky to have good governance. Most of these countries around the world that you see are having good governance, they have been able to maintain some level of security,” he stated.
He decried a situation where most states in the country are under-policed, stressing that the number of security agencies in Nigeria are inadequate to fully tackle the mounting security challenges.
Citing Niger State as example, covering 11 percent of the total land area of the country, the governor lamented that the North Central state currently under siege from armed bandits, has less than 4000 policemen, even as there are some local government councils in that state that don’t have up to 150 policemen.
Speaking on the efforts of his administration to change the narrative in Nasarawa State, Engineer Sule, said the government is working hard to bring much needed development to the people, as encapsulated in the Nasarawa Economic Development Strategy (NEDS).
Having realised the significance of functional education in the development of the society, the governor said, his administration in its first year, devoted 27 percent of the budget of the state to education, jerking it up to 35 percent, the largest in the country, the second year.
“Nasarawa State is going through some level of transformation, we are a new state, for that reason, we will continue to change gradually. Nasarawa is actually what you consider a green field, an area where you can start from ground zero and be able to build,” he stated.
The governor added that the peace being witnessed in the state, is a collective effort, with all the security agencies operating in the state, working tirelessly to ensure lasting peace.
He also attributed the peaceful nature of the state to the administration’s inclusive governance, which is delivering good governance to every part of the state.
Earlier, Commandant of the NISS, Alhaji Ayodele S. Adeleke, said they were in the state, to share experiences that will enrich the participants, especially regarding the theme of the programme, “Governance, Security and Sustainable Development in Africa: Nexus, Prospects and Challenges.”
“The reason for our visit is to hear from you, your experiences that will enrich the participants on the theme of the programme.
“Because we know you are doing very well in the state. We want you to share with us what is the magic behind your giant strides. We want to draw from your wealth of experience during this visit,” he said.
Value chain: Engineer Sule launches women multipurpose cooperative society in Wamba
Nasarawa State governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, on Tuesday, launched the United Sister’s Multipurpose Cooperative Society, in Wamba central market, a Federal Government and International Fund for Agriculture (IFAD), initiative aimed at reducing poverty.
Engineer Sule equally commissioned a solar-powered borehole located at Haske Gari Processing Centre, Gbude, also in Wamba Local Government Area.
According to the governor, both activities, jointly funded by the federal government and IFAD, is aimed at ensuring food security, increase small-scale farmer’s income. Enhance processing and marketing of rice and cassava, as well as promoting accelerated growth on sustainable basis.
Engineer Sule explained that the Value Chain Development Programme, is the initiative of the federal government, geared towards diversifying the economy as an alternative source of revenue.
He added that the programme is intended to focus more attention on agricultural growth with a view to transform the sector as the mainstay of the country’s economy.
The governor disclosed that in its determination to key into the programme, his administration, on July, 1, 2020, approved the whopping sum of N176m as counterpart funds, for the take-off and implementation of the project for the period of two years.
Engineer Sule reiterated the resolve of his administration to continue to align with policies of the federal government, in the collective commitment to provide the desired development, adding that that informs the decision by the state government to attract investors like Olam Nig. Limited, Dangote Group, Azman Rice, Flour Mills Nigeria Ltd, among others.
While appreciating the FG, IFAD for choosing Nasarawa State to host the event, the governor disclosed further that similar projects were completed in Lafia and Nasarawa, while those of Doma and Karu Local Local Government Areas are ongoing.
Earlier, Programme Coordinator in the state, Dr. Eunice Adgidzi, disclosed that the programme has completed multi-million naira projects across five local government areas, including five solar-powered boreholes, three market stores and two market stores.
She added that two market stores, one market stall, as well as the cassava model 2 processing mill with crèche and restrooms, are ongoing.
Dr. Adgidzi said a total 2, 233 farmers from 204 farmers’ organizations, engaged in rice and cassava production, processing and marketing, were profiled and benefiting from the project.
